Bargarh: In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics trade, police under Sadar Police Station limits busted an alleged drug racket and arrested seven persons for possessing and dealing in contraband cough syrup.
Acting on credible inputs, a patrolling team conducted a raid at a football field near Behera Chhak at around 1 PM on Thursday. During the operation, police found the accused persons allegedly engaged in illegal trade of Winrex cough syrup, a substance often misused for its intoxicating properties and regulated under the provisions of the NDPS Act.
A total of 960 bottles of Winrex cough syrup and ₹2.6 lakh in cash were seized from their possession. The contraband was reportedly being transported and stored in multiple four-wheelers at the spot.
The arrested accused have been identified as Bhola Bhubaneswar Rana (32), Rinku alias Ratnamani Nag (32), Garjana Sahu (32), Pappu Bag (18), Kishore Sandha (44), Prasanna Sahu (24), and Papun alias Rajib Sahu (25), all belonging to different areas of Bargarh district.
Police also seized six four-wheelers, including vehicles such as Maruti Suzuki Eeco, Baleno, Swift Dzire, Honda City, and Mahindra Bolero variants, along with two motorcycles, one scooter, and 12 mobile phones allegedly used in the illegal operation.
All search and seizure procedures were carried out in the presence of witnesses and an Executive Magistrate, police said.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the accused will be forwarded to the court. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the supply chain and possible links to a wider network.
